| − | Dawson was the son of Arthur Nelder Dawson, Sr. (1881–1962), and the former Mary Monk (1905–1993). He graduated in 1945 from Bolton High School]] in Alexandria. Thereafter, he obtained his bachelor's degree from the [[Southern Baptist]]-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] across the Red River from Alexandria. He was president of the Louisiana College student body during his time there. He actually began working for ''The Town Talk'' when was twelve years of age.<ref name=Obit/> | + | Dawson was the son of Arthur Nelder Dawson, Sr. (1881–1962), and the former Mary Monk (1905–1993). He graduated in 1945 from Bolton High School in Alexandria. Thereafter, he obtained his bachelor's degree from the [[Southern Baptist]]-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] across the Red River from Alexandria. He was president of the Louisiana College student body during his time there. He actually began working for ''The Town Talk'' when was twelve years of age.<ref name=Obit/> |
| | A board member of the Southern Classified Managers Association and a past president and life member of the Newspaper Personnel Managers Association, Dawson was recognized in 1991 by the Louisiana Press Association with inclusion in the group's "50-Year Club." His later newspaper duties including the recruitment of reporters and photographers, most being recent college graduates who were seeking a start in journalism in the small-to-medium-sized market that Alexandria offers.<ref name=Obit>Dawson obituary, ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', November 25, 2006.</ref> In that capacity, he often worked with the newspaper's veteran managing editor and later executive editor [[Adras LaBorde]] and business editor [[Cecil Williams]]. During much of Dawson's tenure, the newspaper was owned by the family of Joe Dorsey, Smith, Jr. (1922-2008), and his first wife, Jane Wilson Smith (1922-1992). Like Dawson, Smith completed a half century with the paper, formerly owned by Mrs. Smith's father. When Smith retired in 1996, the newspaper was purchased by a firm in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], which subsequently sold to Gannett Corporation in [[Virginia]]. ''The Town Talk'' is the largest circulating newspaper in central Louisiana,<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Jan_10/ai_17999674 Central Newspapers to acquire Alexandria Daily Town Talk – Louisiana | Business Wire | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> but it is largely an [[Internet]] publication, with hard copies coming off the press only on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. | | A board member of the Southern Classified Managers Association and a past president and life member of the Newspaper Personnel Managers Association, Dawson was recognized in 1991 by the Louisiana Press Association with inclusion in the group's "50-Year Club." His later newspaper duties including the recruitment of reporters and photographers, most being recent college graduates who were seeking a start in journalism in the small-to-medium-sized market that Alexandria offers.<ref name=Obit>Dawson obituary, ''Alexandria Daily Town Talk'', November 25, 2006.</ref> In that capacity, he often worked with the newspaper's veteran managing editor and later executive editor [[Adras LaBorde]] and business editor [[Cecil Williams]]. During much of Dawson's tenure, the newspaper was owned by the family of Joe Dorsey, Smith, Jr. (1922-2008), and his first wife, Jane Wilson Smith (1922-1992). Like Dawson, Smith completed a half century with the paper, formerly owned by Mrs. Smith's father. When Smith retired in 1996, the newspaper was purchased by a firm in [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]], which subsequently sold to Gannett Corporation in [[Virginia]]. ''The Town Talk'' is the largest circulating newspaper in central Louisiana,<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_Jan_10/ai_17999674 Central Newspapers to acquire Alexandria Daily Town Talk – Louisiana | Business Wire | Find Articles at BNET.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> but it is largely an [[Internet]] publication, with hard copies coming off the press only on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. |